


ICE

by DarkAlpha67



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Blood and Violence, Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers Feels, Caity Lotz as Ice, Child Abuse, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Hydra isn't very smart., Kid Fic, Killing, M/M, Mention of Vigilantism, Nick Fury Is A Good Guy, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Original Character(s), POV Original Character, Parents Steve Rogers/James "Bucky" Barnes, Pietro Lives, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Avengers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Reference abuse, Steve and Bucky have a daughter, Team as Family, The kid is a teenager, Trauma, Wanda and Pietro still join avengers, Why Did I Write This?, assassinations, barely a plot, kind of, mention of rape, outside pov, tony is tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21975961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAlpha67/pseuds/DarkAlpha67
Summary: They weren’t expecting her.Why would they? She was the perfect machine. The deadly shadow that moved in the night, snuffing out the light she was pointed toward. They called her Ice. It wasn’t much of a name, but it was hers.*When she escaped from her prison, she set out to find the people who'd created her. Her donors: Steven Grant Rogers & James Buchanan Barnes
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 15
Kudos: 81





	1. Time To Go Home

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I wrote this. There was really no plot. I was just watching some videos of Sara Lance and for some reason I saw the daughter of Steve and Bucky. I love Caity Lotz, so I just wrote this to put my idea into words. 
> 
> I finished this chapter recently and figured I'd post it. 
> 
> To get a feel of the fic itself, listen to Journey (Ready to Fly) by Natasha Blume. I listened to the song on repeat as motivation.
> 
> Anyway way, enough of that. Lol.
> 
> There are some warnings for the fic that you can see in the end notes, but that the tags does cover.
> 
> I hope you like it. Happy Holidays, everyone!

They weren’t expecting her.

Why would they? She was the perfect machine. The deadly shadow that moved in the night, snuffing out the light she was pointed toward. They called her Ice. It wasn’t much of a name, but it was hers.

The cage, the lab, the cold room and the hard mattress where she was left to rest after missions was all she’d known. Blood became her source of life.

Anger and pain was her gift to those who’d dared do wrong.

She never asked what they’d done wrong, her targets.

That wasn’t really information she needed to know.

At age 5, she was led into a large room, filled and bustling with millions of people it seemed, all dressed in beautiful gowns, their eyes wide and their smiles even wider. Her handler held her hand as he played the role of her “Papa”. She was to feign needing the bathroom and then, when all eyes were trained elsewhere, she would slip into her target’s bedroom where she would remain until the time came.

What felt like hours, passed but she never got restless. She inhaled and exhaled. She listened as voices drifted into the room, faint and barely discernible, but it was there. She inhaled and exhaled. Lights casted over the curtained windows, cars purring to life, signalling the end of the event. She inhaled and exhaled. Footsteps reached the door. She inhaled and exhaled. The bedroom door opened. A large, pristine dressed man entered. She waited, taking measured breaths as he got ready in the bathroom. She listened as he showered, waiting and watching with cold eyes as he dressed. He took a phone call and she continued to watch him.

Her ice blue eyes followed him, like a predator would its prey. They watched as he laid to rest on his large, satin red bed, groaning loudly with relief. Her eyes never wavered in their frozen gaze (those eyes had been the inspiration behind her name, she’d been told. It was similar to that of her creator).

When his breathing evened out, she snuck out of her hiding space. Her small feet barely made a sound as she slipped through the darkness, allowing the shadows to cloak her. She caught a glimpse of herself in a long mirror but ignored it.

She pulled out the small knife that had hidden in the sleeve of her dress.

She climbed on the bed.

She sat on his hairy chest.

Wide brown eyes snapped open. The man gasped at the sight of her, only for the sound to be cut short a second later as she slashed his throat.

Wetness splattered her face but she barely blinked.

As the man drowned in his own blood, she leaned down as instructed, placing her lips by his ear and then she whispered, _“Hail Hydra.”_

She slipped out of the room and vanished long before anyone noticed something was amiss.

*

She remembered the day something in her psyche shifted.

She had been 10. She and another, a man known as Sem’, were seated on the beach. She was in a swimming suit, though she would never swim until years later.

Ice remembered sitting there, eyes glancing over the smiling faces until they found something strange. She watched as two adults, a man and a woman, helped put sunscreen on a little girl that looked to be roughly around her age.

This was not the first time she’d witnessed families interacting. But that day, she remembered clearly. Because the little girl had blonde hair just like her, had blue eyes just like her, but she wore a smile, that seemed so innocent and pure, so much unlike her.

It looked foreign to see this look on a girl that looked so much like her. The sight evoked a twisted sensation in her stomach. She looked at the parents, saw the similarities between them and their daughter.

The girl had her father’s hair, but her mother’s eyes.

She had her mother’s smile, but her father’s expression.

Ice wondered what part of her she inherited from her creators. She didn’t know much about them, except that she was created from the DNA the two of Super-soldiers. Their combined potential was harnessed and trained to create her.

She was told to be proud, that she was the product her nation’s image.

“It’s time.” Sem’ said.

She nodded and slipped away.

No one paid her mind.

So it was very easy to slip something into a woman’s drink.

They were gone before the poison made itself known.

*

She was 16 years old when she found out the truth.

Her home was in chaos. They tried their best to hide their panic, but she saw it. Someone had discovered them. She was to be stored until further notice.

For the first time, fear struck her as she heard the exchange between her master and handlers.

She recalled what those words meant: _To be Stored._

She knew that was how they had kept their greatest weapon under their control. The man who had been there for her first few years, training her and strengthening her. He didn’t remain long, only the first year or two before he was “stored”.

She hid the emotions raging on within her. She remained silent as they all moved around, their panic making them oblivious to the impact their words had, the changes their words inspired.

When left alone, because a trust had been build and no one suspected that her mind was drifting and her thoughts were defecting. She waited and watched as the last chemist left her room, leaving her with a file.

She waited a beat and then moved.

Her eyes ran over familiar words, her mind cementing it in her memory.

_Subject: “Chye-tir-ye”._

_Donor 1: Steven Grant Rogers_

_Donor 2: James Buchanan Barnes_

_Viability: Success_

_Birth: 19th September 1998_

She looked over the image of herself. By the time she reached the end of the file, the Chemist was returning. She hurried to her previous position and waited.

He was joined by a group of men of different age. She watched them all, waiting for the right moment, for chaos and opportunity to align.

They were talking amongst themselves, ignoring her presence because she wasn’t considered human. She was a body to be used and positioned as they wished. She listened as they discussed their plans of shut down, that there was no time to waste, that her final mission had been a risk already.

She watched as they all took their places.

She met one of the Chemist eyes.

He started at her.

She never blinked.

He frowned at her, waiting for her to look away as she was expected to, to duck her head and assume a submissive position. She shifted, feeling a cool metal slide down her wrist and curl into the palm of her hand and then with a flick of the wrist, she had impaled it in his head.

They shouted in alarm, their shocked expression causing a thrill to run through her. They moved to attack but it was too late.

Ice wasted no time as she ducked and leaped around the room. The chaos within was hidden by the soundproof walls, the other agents who roamed the halls ignorant of the carnage Death left in its wake in the form of a 16 year old lab experiment. Her white clothes were drenched and stained in crimson liquid. Her hands felt the echoing snap as she broke their bones.

A loud blaring sound cut through the room. Her head snapped to the right.

One man had triggered the alarm. Ice moved to him. He attempted to scramble away, but it was all invade. He took his final breath when she dug his pen into his eye, twisting it for good measure.

She escaped that night. With blood and pain, she returned the gifts they doled out so careless, using the body they created to inflict the pain they found pleasuring serving. Her ears rung as bullets rained over her. She stole weapons and emptied them in those who’d aimed the weapons at her.

She ran through the building.

She escaped her prison and broke into a run, ignoring the ice that nearly paralyzed her bones as it bit at her bare arms and seeped in her clothes. She spun in time to witness as the place she been calling home for 16 years exploded as Hydra shot a missile at it.

Her lips ticked in a ghost of smile and she took off.

*

Ice researched about her donors as best she could.

In roughly 6 months, she had fashioned a persona, an identity and a tragic story.

Orphaned at age 13, she’d been living on the streets, searching for a home after having run from hers. Everyone treated her in differently. She’d smile and some would offer her food, while other’s offered her things that ended with their necks snapped.

She’s witnessed far too many unprovoked attacks, senseless violence and had taken it upon herself to end the lives of those who found pleasure in inflicting pain.

A woman, her name Sierra, had been the first woman she’d saved from the forceful hands of a man twice her size. Ice had taken her away from the scene she’d left behind, promising to remove all evidence of her being there.

Sierra had thanked her but told her that that was one less monster roaming the world.

“They are everywhere.” Seirra had told her bluntly. “They will fuck you and take you no matter how much you fight back. Scum is what they are.”

Ice had listened and muttered, “Cut off one head, two more will grow.”

Sierra had looked at her strangely but nodded nonetheless. “Yeah, kinda.” Then, she grabbed Ice by the chin and forced her to look her dead in Sierra’s dull and lifeless green eyes. “You don’t let them win, you hear me. No woman should suffer at the hands of a man.”

That night, Ice had found a new purpose of sorts.

She used the night and the shadow to cloak her as she killed those men who took and took without care.

But she never forgot her original mission.

To find those who had created her.

*

In the darkness in her motel room, she watched as the news reporter spoke of all the information that had been leaked about Hydra.

She listened assiduously and slowly something warm and whole grew in the center of her chest. She touched the area, frowning, perplexed.

She would later come to know what that feeling was: _Hope._

*

She found them!

Since the Winter Solider, known as James Buchanan Barnes, was revealed to her, she focused her sights on finding him and Captain America, known as Steven Grant Rogers. She felt excited and almost joyous at the prospect.

She listened to stories about them on the news. Their reunion, their love, their recovery.

She wondered about them, now more than ever.

Ice wondered if they would like her.

She wondered if they would accept her.

She was 17 when she found herself in Siberia. Dressed in her usual attire; an all-white body suit that was buckled in appropriate places where she stored all her weapons, with a thin white cloth over her mouth that obstructed any view of her face. She’d made it herself, wanting to redefine her identity.

She’d stolen her weapons of choice; throwing stars and knives, a gun, and her favorite of all: a metal Bo-Staff that she could easily pull apart. She loved this weapon become it was simple and harmless but used in the right way, it could splinter bones and dislocate joints. When swung, it acted like an extension of her limbs, it protected her in ways her body never could.

Her excitement at being so close to the end of her mission, however, was quickly replaced with maddening adrenaline when she found herself on a slowly ascending piece of earth. She’s moved without being noticed She took care of some of the bots, catching glimpses of Captain America and the Winter Solider as they fought alongside her without even known.

Her cover didn’t last long, not that she expected it to. They made her quicker than she anticipated. She had just ripped apart one of Ultron’s minions when a voice cut through the chaos of bullets and destruction.

“Hey, kid!” The Archer rushed over to her, followed by the speedster who skidded to a halt.

She turned and cocked her eyebrow, though she remained silent.

“You wanna tell me why you’re here?”

She answered his question by killing two approaching bots with knives, kicking and disseminating the third with her bare hands.

“I like her.” The speedster spoke.

She knew about him and his sister. They were expected to join forces for a mission in the near future before Hydra lost their confidentiality. Appraising him with cool eyes, she looked to the Archer and said in a third Russian accent, “You may want to get back to work.

Then she took off.

She helped her donors save her donors that day.

She took out the machine that had been in the midst of aiming at the Archer, saving him and the self-sacrificing speedster. It was clear the twins had switched sides, it was clear the Avengers had once again taken the enemy and forged an ally.

“We know her?” She heard behind her.

She spun around, her blonde hair blowing out her face when she turned to see who’d spoken, only for her heart to stop when she came face to face with the man who’d help create her.

His blue eyes ran over her features and she wondered if he saw her in him. She noticed the way his eyes widened slightly at the sight of her, the way they dropped to her chin, her nose and her hair. She looked odd, she assumed.

Her features were unnaturally beautiful. She’d been told this by her handlers constantly. It wasn’t a compliment. It was more of an acknowledgement that they had been successful when they’d created her. Her beauty was not her own, it was an asset she was forced to use since the day she could.

Her lungs inhaled and exhaled, but her heart and her mind was racing, wondering, hoping. The blonde haired man squinted at her and then the Widow beside him said, “Steve, we have to leave now.”

Hearing his name being spoke caused the air she’d been inhaling to be expelled with a soft, barely heard exhalation. Steve looked away from her and the loss of those eyes on her caused Ice to regain some form of control.

Then, the sinking feeling of disappointment found its home in her stomach. She gripped her Bo-staff and turned to walk away when she heard.

“Where you going?”

Ice stopped and turned her head to the side, seeing him from the corner of her eye but refusing to look at him. She couldn’t handle seeing the lack of recognition. She’d assumed, quite childishly, that he’d see her for who she was and embrace her and welcome her.

“You can come with us.” The woman offered, her deep and husky voice convincing Ice for a second.

“GUYS! WE GONNA LEAVE NOW!”

And that seemed to be the sign she’d been unknowingly waiting for.

The red haired woman pulled Steve aside the second they got their the last remaining modes of tranportation, “James will be in the next one.”

“Thank God.”

“What’s your name, kid?” The Archer (She refused to call him by his ridiculous name) asked.

She looked at Steve again and their eyes met. She saw the confusion in his expression, saw the way he was searching his mind.

“I have no name.” She answered. “But they called me Ice.”

“They?”

She looked to the twins then before revealing. “Hydra.”

She was cuffed and guarded before she knew it and she sat patiently until they landed.

*

They found out.

After being escorted into a surprisingly clean cell, though she had been informed that was a “hospital room”. She sat and waited, uncaring of what was to come. She had been trapped once before, and she knew, sooner or later, she would escape.

They appeared roughly an hour later, right after a woman in glasses with a soft voice had checked her over. She didn’t attempt to start a conversation, and Ice found it oddly comforting. She watched as they took her blood, not really caring what they did with it, but knowing they would pay if they misused it. Her wounds: her cuts and bruises would heal in no time, but she assumed they knew that given who her donors were.

Ice watched them through the bulletproof glass as the two men who she decided to refer to her as “fathers” stared at her. She met their gazes coolly, knowing they knew. She saw that recognition she’d been initially searching for.

Now that she saw them side by side, she saw in them what she inherited.

She and James had the same cleft chin.

She and Steve had the same color hair.

Her eyes seemed to be an amalgamation of Steve’s blue and James’ grey. She wasn’t quite sure given how far they were but she took an educated guess.

The door to her room hissed as it slid open. Steve and James entered slowly, followed by a dark haired, dark eyed man with a very interesting goatee. Being in a room such as this reminded her of her home. But unlike her home, her thoughts were her own, her ideas were free to roam and she was calmer and less numb.

She remained still, even as the two large men came closer, approaching her with caution.

“You’re Hydra?” James asked her.

Ice looked at him. She decided she liked his voice. It was warm and inviting.

“I was. Same as you.” Her accent had switched to American.

Steve shared a look with James. The man, she knew, was Anthony “Tony” Stark, moved around her, tapping at a square device, lost in his own thoughts. She wondered if he knew she could kill him right this second, or if he knew and simply trusted the other two men to protect him.

Which they can’t.

“And you escaped?”

She nodded.

“Why?” James asked her, not missing a moment or a beat. She heard the distrust in his voice and she didn’t blame him.

“I decided that I wanted to be more than a weapon. So I left.”

“Just like that?” Steve spoke up then, crossing his muscular arms. Ice assessed his physic and found herself not intimidated.

She shrugged. “I killed them on the way out, but so did you.” Her eyes danced over to James. “Shortly before, I had read my file, discovered I was the product of your DNA and decided I wanted to know more.”

The second the words left her mouth, the two men tensed up. Anthony froze and his head snapped up, brown eyes wide. She looked at them all, her lips pressed together unconcerned with the attention.

“So you know?” Anthony asked. “That you are the spawn of Capsicle and ol’ Robocop?”

“Who?”

Anthony let loose a frankly dramatic groan that her response absolutely didn’t warrant. “Oh God! It’s like it’s genetic.”

“She was raised by Hydra, Tony. Ain’t like she was watching a lot of movies.” James informed Anthony casually.

Ice decided she liked him a bit more. Simply because he wasn’t retreating this situation all that seriously, whereas her other father had yet to stop staring at her like he was waiting for her to slit his throat.

“It’s true.” She added to the joke, finding it appropriating and interested to see how they would response to it.

A flash of humor lightened Steve’s face but it was gone a moment later. “You expect us to believe you left at your own free will?”\

Ice stared at him. “No. That would be idiotic.”

Anthony snorted and Steve shot him a glare, to which he responded with a, “What? She’s funny.”

Steve sighed and returned his attention to her but she happily noted his shoulders were less tense. “How did you know about Siberia? You were there before things escalated.”

Ice answered. “I have been looking for you two. When I discovered you two were in danger, I left to help.”

Once again, her fathers shared a look.

James was the one who met her gaze first. “You seem awfully calm for someone who just escaped Hydra’s hold.”

“I hadn’t _just_ escaped. I left roughly two years ago. There should be a records of an unknown hydra based having been blown up around that time in Moscow. I left and have been on the run ever since.”

Steve’s arms dropped and he took a step forward. Ice tensed up, her body readying as she met blue eyes that were no longer authoritative and driven but soft and concerned.

“You – you were on the run? Alone?”

“Yes.”

The answered bothered him. Her brows twitched as she saw the worrying expression tighten his features. James stepped closer to her as well.

“How --- Did you have help?”

“No. I was alone.” Memories of those months flashed through her mind and Ice looked away for a second, composing herself. She inhaled and turned her attention back to Steve and James. They were look at her with matching expressions of concern.

It was strange. To have that look aimed at her. She felt comforted by it, but also uncomfortable.

“You’re not alone anymore, kid.” Steve spoke.

“Uh, Steve—“ Anthony spoke up. “Possible hydra operative, remember—“

“She’s still my daughter.” Steve cut him off sharply. “Our daughter.”

The words erupted a storm of emotions in her. Her hands gripped the stiff bed she was seated on. She clenched her jaw, forcing her expression not to shatter, to reveal to effect those words had on her.

Years she’d wondered what true acceptance was.

For years, she’d wondered about herself.

For two years, while on the run from those wanting to terminate her, she’d held onto a childish believe that she’d find safety and love with these men. She’d hoped that the stories she’d read weren’t misleading, had hoped she hadn’t projected her desires on whatever intel she’d gathered.

Ice swallowed thickly, her cool eyes dancing to and fro, taking in the men before her.

She looked passed the frame she’d been taught to assess her targets, forcing herself to see what her brain had overlooked before.

Ice saw the light in their eyes. She saw the glimmer of warmth and conflict, of concern and… something else, she wouldn’t identify but was comforted by it nonetheless. Their defensive postures had dropped, arms now hanging by their sides, their hands brushing every now and then.

Their towering frames weren’t suffocating or trapping. They looked safe.

She looked at James, taking in his dark hair that was wavy like hers but was bundled up in a messy bun. His grey eyes met hers for a second before she looked away, tracing the curve of his lips that wasn’t like hers, down to the dimple on his chin. She saw the way the corner of his lips curved as if he was moments away from smiling and decided she liked that part most. She assessed the metal limb, recalling information she’d been given about it, about the honor and purpose.

The fist of Hydra.

She also remember how that arm which had been designed to take life had worked tirelessly to save lives in Siberia.

Ice shifted her attention onto Steve. Her attention went to his blonde hair immediately. A sensation similar to happiness coursed through her when she noted that the shade matched hers indeed. His nose was slightly broader and more crooked than hers. They had the same shaped eyes, eyes that were staring at her with so much kindness, she honestly didn’t think she deserved. She remembered what they said about him in the museums and history books, how he was known for putting his life on the line for those who needed his help. Looking into his eyes and recalling how he’d fought, she had no doubt that statement was true.

“Well she needs a name, then, if you two are planning on adopting.” Anthony broke the silence.

Ice looked at him, frowning. “I told you, you can call me Ice.”

“ _Ice?_ Seriously?” Anthony’s face split into a wide grin.

“Tony.”

“I am not calling you that, kid.” James spoke up, drawing Ice’s attention away from the maniacal grin that had claimed Anthony’s face. “I don’t go by the Winter Soldier, and we don’t expect you to either.”

Ice considered it for a moment. “How about Four?”

The suggested pained them, it was clear.

“How about you think on it?” Steve suggested. “You’ve got a lot of time.”

She didn’t.

She left the Avenger’s Tower two days into her stay, leaving a note behind for her fathers.

_I like the name Sara_.

00

Ice


	2. Take An Angel By The Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's Pov after meeting ICE.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I started this shortly after finish ICE. I had an idea of how Steve saw Ice and my mind needed to put those thoughts into words. And this came out of it. 
> 
> I didn't want to post it, because I have a tendency to start fics and lose motivation to finish them. But I figured I might as well, seeing as I put the work in, lol.
> 
> Apologies for the sucky pic, I am new to that whole thing, with this fic being the first that I used visual aid, so yay me, I guess.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who was so kind to leave comments and kudos for the first chapter, it meant the world to me. <3.

_Oh, so your wounds they show_

_I know you have never felt so_ _alone_

_But hold on, head up, be strong_

_Oh, hold on, hold on until you hear them come_

_Here they_ _come_

_Take an angel by the_ _wings_

_Beg her now for anything_

_Beg her now for one more day_

_Take an angel by the_ _wings_

_Time to tell her everything_

_Ask her for the strength to stay_

They couldn’t stop staring at her.

Steve wanted to look away.

He knew it was disconcerting to have a strange man gawking at you, but no matter how much he forced himself to look away, moments later, his eyes would drift toward her.

After Tony had given her a clear bill of health, they had offered her their floor, citing they had a guest bedroom she was more than welcome to use. Steve’s heart had had been a hammering mess of anxiety as he phrased the question, scared that she would dismiss him and Bucky. Except, she had readily agreed, nodding and shrugging in a ‘sure, why not’ kind of way.

Every so often he’d catch Bucky’s eyes and see the shared sense of awe reflecting back at him.

Their daughter, Ice (God, he hated the word), stood before them as they rode the elevator up, Bucky and Steve flanking her as they ascended. She was short, coming to a halt just under Bucky’s chin, if Steve had to guess.

Her frame was muscular and solid, her golden hair wavy and loose, reaching past her shoulders in soft waves. Her hands were locked behind her back, her shoulders pushed back as she waited patiently. His heart ached at the sight, his mind racing as millions of questions rushed through his thoughts.

She was amazing. He knew it the moment she spoke to him.

Her voice was soft with an edge of hardness behind it. Her tone was blunt and factual, clear calculating eyes to match.

 _“That would be idiotic.”_ She’d said. And Steve was not ashamed to admit it almost brought him to tears.

Her silver blue eyes reminded him so much of Bucky that Steve wondered if he’d ever get tired of meeting them. Her lips were pushed together into a small perpetual pout, but she looked both stern and understanding.

The elevator dinged and they stepped off, Ice going first. The floor led directly into their front room, the entire area way too spacious and large for Steve’s liking. Bucky had expressed similar dislike but they both knew how fortunate they were to even have a roof over their heads, much less a home like this.

“So, are you hungry?” Bucky asked, heading for the kitchen area. He rounded the counter and Ice followed after him, gaze sharp and tactile as she took in every inch of their place. She stared at the large ceiling to floor window, that darkened when requested, but reflected back to those outside, making it two-way in some way.

“Yes, please.” She moved closer and stopped.

Steve’s heart clenched. Stepping closer, he lifted a hand to gesture. “You can sit if you want.”

Ice moved and took a seat, resting her elbows on the granite counter tops, lacing her fingers together. It was then that Steve saw a small tattoo, stark against her pale skin. A harsh number 4 was inked right in the space between her thumb and forefinger.

“What would you like?”

Ice frowned at Bucky who stood before her on the other side, metal and flesh hand rested on the edge of the counter, grey eyes light and glimmering with emotions as he looked at her.

Ice pinched her lips together. “Anything is fine, really.”

Bucky paused and then nodded. “I’m gonna make some breakfast. You okay with meat?”

Ice nodded. “Of course.”

“Milk?”

Ice nodded.

Bucky looked like he wanted to say more but decided against it. He turned and got to work and Steve took that as his cue. Gingerly, he claimed the chair on the side of the counter, keeping both Bucky and Ice in his eyeline. Once again, he found himself look at the girl.

In the natural light of their room, Steve discovered his daughter shared another trait with him. Dusted on the bridge of her nose and on her cheeks were small, delicate freckles. It wasn’t as harsh and obvious as his had been at that age, but they were there.

“So… Uh, Ice. Can you…. Can you tell us about yourself?” He stumbled over his words, his mind rearranging the sentence so it sounded just right. He sounded like an idiot, and judging by the small twitch of the corner of Ice’s lips, she likely thought the same thing.

“There isn’t much to tell.” She said, her tone open and honest. He could tell she didn’t really care if her thoughts or her words were inappropriate, she spoke and said what she wanted to say. It was blunt but a small part of him, the part that knew this girl as his daughter and not an operative of Hydra saw the quality as innocent, almost.

Ice’s factual voice drew him back to her and out of his thoughts. “I was raised by Hydra. I am sure you might have found some information regarding project REBORN. I was one of four products of your selected genes. They made me and trained me.” She stopped, and Steve watched as her eyes flashed over to Bucky. “You did, too.”

Metal cluttered as Bucky dropped the plastic bowl and spatula he was carrying over, the kitchen appliances noisily bouncing around on the smooth surface. Steve reached out to still them and silence blanketed the area.

“I – I did?”

Ice narrowed her eyes. “You don’t remember?”

Bucky swallowed thickly. “My memory isn’t all there, yet. Hydra did a good job wiping me.”

Her brows furrowed together but her sharp gaze never softened. Steve watched as Bucky and Ice stared at one another, Bucky open and honest and Ice cold and assessing.

She nodded and looked away from Bucky. The tension in Bucky’s body lifted a fraction, but it remained there when as he got back to his previous task. A part of Steve wanted to draw him in and embrace him, allow him to feel Steve’s presence and love. But he bit back the urge and met Ice’s gaze.

“Hydra didn’t think to wipe me. I was loyal so they never saw reason to.” She continued. “What about you?”

The question shocked him, leaving him gaping like an idiot. “Me?”

“Yes.” She looked between them. “Tell me about yourself.”

“What, uh,” Steve looked to Bucky for help but the brunet seemed intently focused on the task at hand as he frantically whipped together the pancake mix. Clearing his throat, Steve steeled himself “What would you like to know?”

“Everything, preferably.” Ice said and Steve caught a flash of humor in her expression. “But I will take small facts for now.”

“Shit, that’s a lot.” Steve breathed out. When the words registered, specific the swear word, his eyes widened.

He opened his mouth to apologize, but Ice’s neutral expression morphed into a smirk. “It’s alright. I have heard swear words before.”

“Yeah, Hydra don’t really care about keeping things PG.” Bucky grumbled, grey eyes rising to meet Ice’s amused gaze.

“Still.” Steve shot Bucky a look before returning his attention to Ice. “I shouldn’t be talking like that in front of my daughter.”

The amusement in her eyes vanished and it was replaced by a softer look… it looked almost… hopefully and disbelieving. Her pouty mouth tipped into a barely-there smile.

He caught a glimpse of dimples, but it was too faint to be sure. He wanted to see her smile, wanted to hear her laugh. Right then and there, he made a vow to himself that he’d spend every day of his life ensuring she had a reason to smile. His stomach twisted in acidic knots when he thought of all the horrors she must have been forced to endure at the hands of Hydra. The life she was born into, the life she was forced to have and live without a choice.

Bucky told him about the horrors of Hydra. The Monster in disguise, he called it.

“Steve is an artist. I don’t know if you knew that.”

Ice looked away from him for a second, attention snapping toward Bucky, her eyebrows lifting and eyes widening in surprise. “Really?” She aimed the question at Steve.

Steve nodded, blushing slightly. He shot Bucky a grateful look. “Yeah.” He smiled at Ice. “We didn’t have a lot of money and I wasn’t healthy enough to work. I sold my work to pick up some of the weight. I didn’t make much, but it was enough.”

“It was more than enough, Stevie.” Bucky moved around the kitchen effortlessly, owning the space. As one of his recovering methods, Bruce had suggested cooking. Sam and Clint were all too happy to help and roughly a month after the suggestion, Steve had been banned from the area known as “Bucky’s Zone of Content” (Tony thought he was funny, but he wasn’t, when he got those very words engraved to be displayed on the wall above the cabinets in silver and gold).

“And you? Do you have any talents?” Ice asked, her tone a touch eager as she gazed at Bucky intently.

“Does killing count?” Bucky joked but Ice nodded nonetheless, stating coolly, “Yes.”

Steve swallowed back his protect but it wasn’t necessary when the serious expression on both their faces cracked as Ice’s eyebrows and lips smoothed out and Bucky grinned spread across his face.

From this angle, Steve saw that both Ice and Bucky’s noses sloped down in a similar way. His hands twitched and his fingers itched to put the beautiful view they made on paper, to immortalize this moment.

“He can dance.” Steve spoke then.

“You can?” She sounded shocked and weirden out by that information.

And Steve couldn’t really blame her. All she knew of Bucky was who he’d been when he’d been wiped completely of the traits that made him James Buchanan Barnes. She looked at him and remember only the Winter Soldier and Steve doubt the Winter Solider was ordered to dance.

Bucky shrugged. “Depends on what’s playing.”

“Bull.” Steve shot back. “You dance to everything, Buck.”

Bucky turned and gave him a soul melting grin. “Only with you, doll.”

Thankfully, Ice’s presence allowed Steve to gather himself before he blushed tomato red. Tony had once joking said that if Steve had just imagined Bucky whisper sweet nothings into his ears, he would have blushed himself out of the years ago. Bucky always had that ability to get Steve flustered with a simple grin. Years later and Bucky still had the ability to turn him into a blubbering mess.

Steve shook his head. “Don’t start.”

Bucky winked but fortunately returned to making breakfast. In the meantime, Steve looked to Ice to see her looking between them with an appreciative expression. He didn’t have time to dwell on it much, because she straightened up and met Steve’s stare, the openness gone.

“Tell me more.”

Her hungry gaze reminded Steve of when Bucky first came to him, desperate for more information. He asked Steve questions after questions, even after Bruce and the SHIELD psychologist advised against forcing the memories.

“Uh, Bucky is a great cook, and when we aren’t working we spend a lot of time in the kitchen or doing volunteer work.” Steve searched for more. “We work with the VA a lot, with the help of our friend Sam. We spend as much time with the others as we can, and when we have an off day, the team likes to throw parties, which is mostly a gathering where we converse and fill each other in on what’s been going in our respective lives.”

“So you’re happy?”

Steve and Bucky paused, meeting each other’s eyes before they nodded. “Yeah, we are.” He swallowed around the bubble of joy that filled him from the absolute truth of that state. Looking to Ice, he braved and said. “We- we hope you will want to be a part of our life.”

“What part?” She asked.

“All of it.” Bucky answered her, stopping what he was doing. He bend forward and rested his elbows on the counter, hands pointed toward Ice. “We - _fuck_ , we _pray_ , that you would be willing to be here, to live here, so we can get to know you.”

“There isn’t much to know.” Ice informed them, and it broke his heart a little because he heard the truth in that single statement. “All that there is to know is in my file.”

“Now, that can’t be true.” Bucky shook his head. “Hydra may have made you but, you are your own person, kid. I can tell. No Hydra puppet will willingly break away from those people unless they knew they were more than what they were told.” He said, almost imploringly. “I would know.”

Ice swallowed. Her blue eyes shimmered in the light. “Maybe so. But there really isn’t much.”

“Even so,” Steve reached out for her hand, but stopped when she jerked back, out of his reach. The act wasn’t overtly obvious but it was clear. His fingers curled into a fist before he opened his hand, pressing his palm against the surface of the counter. “We would love to know everything about you. If you’ll give us the chance.”

Ice looked between them. Silence fell over the three, two fathers watching with bated breath as their daughter decided whether she wanted to be here, to be around them and allow them to be in her life.

“Okay.”

Neither Steve nor Bucky cared enough to suppress the full blown smiles that spread across their face. They looked to each other another, silently reassuring the other that this was happening before they turned to Ice, smiles never wavering.

Her eyes crinkled and he knew, he just knew, she was smiling inside.

*

They were woken up by the new Al F.R.I.D.A.Y.

“Sirs, I am sorry to wake you, but I think your daughter needs you. Her heart rate is dangerously high and she is clearly distress.”

They were out their bed and out the door before FRIDAY had even finish her sentence. They came to a halt outside her bedroom and Bucky opened the door so carefully, the act was borderline unnatural, given how terrified and panicked they were. Together, he and Bucky stepped in, eyes falling on the tensed girl. She wasn’t making a sound, the only sign of her distress being her small gasps for air, the way her hands were grip her sheets and the sheen of sweat that covered her forehead.

Steve and Bucky looked to each other. It was barely moment, and then Steve nodded and made his way to the other side of the room, making sure he was in Ice’s line of sight while Bucky walked over to the bed. He moved softly and slowly, eyes sharp.

He stopped a few spaces away from the bed and said, “Ice.”

And that was enough. Blue eyes snapped open, her hand vanished under the pillow, there was a flash of metal and Bucky jerked away from a deadly slice to the air, the blade missing his neck but an inch. In the blink of an eye, she was out of bed, her feet planted and her eyes wild.

Ice panted, her chest heaving as she stared them, expression cold but murderous.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Ice, Ice, it’s just us. It’s Steve and Bucky. You’re in the Avengers Tower, with us, remember?” Bucky spoke gently but clearly. “You’re safe, sweetheart. You’re safe. You’re not with Hydra.”

Blue eyes flashed from Steve and Bucky. The hand brandishing the knife lowered slowly, cautiously but Steve could tell she wasn’t all there yet. Her stance never changed and Bucky continued to speak, saying, “You’re okay, Ice. It’s just us. You were having a nightmare and we—“

“It wasn’t a nightmare.” She cut him off, her eyes sharp as they locked with Bucky’s.

Bucky met her stare calmly. “It wasn’t?”

“Nightmares are simply terrifying dreams. I was remembering.”

The blade in her hand seemed to have found home in his heart. Steve clenched his jaw to keep the heartbreak from showing. His body fought the urge to close the distance between himself and his daughter so he could draw her into a protective embrace, shield her from the world and keep her safe from everything else.

“Remembering?” Bucky asked.

The more he talked, the calmer she got. The murderous glint in her eyes faded as she registered her surroundings. Ice scanned her room swiftly, and Steve watched with tight lungs as her mind centered itself with every measured breath.

“Yeah. I was remembering my time with… with the Chemist.” She swallowed and a sickeningly look appeared on her face.

She exhaled loudly, her blonde hair curtaining her face as she ducked her head.

Steve and Bucky watched as Ice turned and dropped down onto the mattress. “I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

Steve inched closer, shaking his head even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “There is nothing to apologize for.”

Ice lifted her head, her jaw flexing as she met his gaze. He saw the pain in her eyes, saw the effects of her flashback still lingering in her body. Though her words and voice was calm, he saw the way her hands had a small tremor in them, the way her body was locked and tensed, her shoulders tight and her back rigid.

“We don’t blame you for this, sweetheart.” Bucky was saying. He moved and knelt down by her side and Steve moved forward and mimicked his position. Together they looked up at their daughter, a girl they’d known for barely 24 hours.

24 hours and Steve knew, like he knew the sky was blue that he would raise hell on earth to make sure nothing ever hurt her.

“Just…” Steve swallowed when he heard the catch in his throat. “Tell us what you need. Anything.” He emphasized earnestly.

Ice looked at him, her eyebrows pulling together, forming a crinkle between her brows. She shook her head and said nothing.

Bucky tried this time. “When this happens, what do you normally do?”

Ice’s gaze was fixed on her hands. “I normally roam the streets, looking for individuals who want to harm others.” Her response send a chill down his spine. Not her works, but her monotonous tone.

It was a chilling reminder of Bucky's voice when he’d first set foot in the tower.

Steve and Bucky’s eyes snapped over, meeting the others. The conflict in their eyes were clear. Steve wanted to be there for his daughter, but he couldn’t allow her to ‘roam the streets’. If anyone found out about her, if SHIELD found out that they’d willing allowed her to leave the Tower to inflict her own brand of justice, Fury would have their heads.

Bucky was the first to look away, turning his attention back to Ice. “Would training help?”

Her head whipped up and over, blue eyes widening. “Training?”

Bucky nodded. “More like sparing. You can go a few rounds with us, work out that adrenaline. What do you say?”

And that was how Steve found himself in the training room with Bucky and Ice, watching as his daughter attacked her father with grace and agility. Her moves reminded him of Natasha’s form of fighting, but there was brute force behind it too. Whereas Natasha seemed to move effortlessly, Ice’s moves were intentional and forceful. Steve’s body ached from the attacks she had been able to get in, his muscles tensing when he saw the way Bucky winced and grunted as Ice spun and got him on his side.

He was about to twist and attack when Ice lunged herself at him. In a flare of blonde hair and white clothes, she had Bucky on the floor, her knee against his neck, and his hands locks in an inescapable hold. Steve moved toward, his heart lurching at the sight but relief washing over him at a dizzy rate when Ice moved off Bucky a moment later, offering him a hand.

“Wow.” Buck said, but his voice was rough.

“Thanks.” Ice looked proud at the assessment.

She moved get her water bottle, missing the look shared between Steve and Bucky. The worry that tightened their expression was clear as day, both of them fearing for their daughter. She was hydra, but watching her like this, it was clear she was more than just an operative.

She was deadly.

She was cold.

She was efficient.

She was skilled and she was well trained.

And that made her a desired target for both Hydra and SHIELD. There was no way she would have a normal life. It was undeniably clear in that very moment. She was everything organisations like SHIELD and Hydra were looking for.

And if there was anything Steve had learned since being thawed from the ice, it was that sooner or later those organisations got what they wanted.

*

“You sure about this?” Steve asked.

They were gathered around the common area. Steve was on the couch, Bucky on the arm rest, thigh pressed against Steve in silent comradery. Tony was flipping through the folder Natasha had dropped off. Sam was standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest as he listened to her relay information she found out through means other than paper work.

Clint was listening intently, hands lacing and unlacing. He looked like he was ready to hop on a jet this very moment.

“It’s reliable.” She nodded to him. “Fury had us looking into everything since Ice showed up. It’s clear Hydra is still active, but she is evidence their work has infiltrated the world more than we were expecting.”

“Fucking cockroaches.” Bucky grumbled under his breath.

Clint nodded in agreement but remained silent.

“What’s the plan then?”

“We stop them.” A voice said behind them.

All heads snapped over to the entrance where Ice stood by the elevator. Her blue eyes were cold and calculated, and it was clear she heard every single word.

“How long have you been there?” Tony asked. “A little heads up next time, Fri.” He aimed at the ceiling and F.R.I.D.A.Y. was smart enough to remain silent.

“Long enough.” She walked closer to them, her arms crossed over her chest. She was dressed in her usual white clothes, her blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. The hairstyle amplified her youthful features which clashed with her experienced eyes.

“Either way, this doesn’t concern you.”

“Tony.” Bucky, Steve and Natasha said his name simultaneously, in varied tones of warning.

“I think differently. This concern me just as much as it does you.” Ice glared at Tony.

“Geez.” Clint hissed. “She’s like a mini Barnes in Steve’s body.”

He got a glare from Steve for that. He only grinned at the Captain, adopting an innocent expression as he signed _“just saying”_.

“Look,” Bucky turned to face Ice. His voice grew softer as he continued. “I get wanting revenge, but you can’t be a part of this mission, kid.”

She narrowed her eyes stubbornly.

“He’s right, Ice.” Steve allowed her heated glare to bore down on him. “This is classified, and if we allow you on, we could jeopardize the mission.”

“We still calling her that?” He heard Tony say behind him.

Tension grew amongst them. Ice’s gaze dashed to and fro, meeting Steve and Bucky’s imploring eyes. She looked behind them to the Avengers, her eyes calculated. Steve was ready to fight, to take her aside and beg and plead for her to not fight him on this, to try and make her see that she didn’t need to do this.

Then, Ice exhaled, her offensive stance dropping. She nodded. “Fine.”

She spun around and walked away from them, her feet lighter than air as she walked to the elevator. She turned, blue eyes locking with Steve, before they shifted to Bucky and then, the doors closed.

Shocked, Steve and Bucky looked at each other. There was a ‘huh’ sound behind them, and they heard Clint say, “that was easy.”

Something inside Steve nagged at him to check up on Ice as he turned on the couch. He met Bucky’s eyes, saw suspicion in them. They shook it off for the time being, returning to the meeting.

Later that night, when all was said and done, Steve and Bucky made their way to their floor. They didn’t have to wonder far because Ice was there, sitting by the kitchen counter with a bowl of mixed berries before her. She looked up for a second before looking back down, pushing her berries around with her spoon.

Sighing sadly, Steve stepped toward her. “Ice—‘

“Don’t.” She cut him off. “I understand your decision.”

“You do?”

She nodded. Bucky rounded the counter and Steve claimed his usual spot. The dimmed light made the air around them solemn. Gently, Steve reached out, his heart leaping in his chest when Ice allowed him to cover her small delicate hand with his. His heart squeezed at the size difference.

“Look, we’ll talk to Fury. See if we can work something out for any future missions, okay?”

Hopefully blue eyes snapped up. “Yeah?”

Bucky clenched his jaw and Steve forced himself to nod. He hated the very idea but he knew they couldn’t keep her locked up here forever.

“Yeah, Ice.”

An adorable crinkle formed on her nose as she wrinkled it in distaste.

“What?” Steve asked.

“Anthony is right. The name isn’t very… civil. It’s like-“

“The Winter Soldier?” Bucky suggested.

Ice’s lips tugged up. “Yeah, exactly.”

Steve smiled at them, his hand squeezing hers. “Well, you can always change it. We can talk to Tony, I am sure he can do it.”

Ice paused, considering it before nodding. “I’ll think about it.”

The tiny hand under his slip out, but her touch lingered. Her smile softened as she looked between the two of them. Ice pushed the bowl toward Bucky, who happily accepted it, shoving a spoon of blueberries and strawberries in his mouth.

Ice said. “I gotta get some sleep. Wanda and Pietro tired me out.”

Her words sounded so age appropriate.

She was “fitting in” well, adopting the mannerisms expected of her.

Steve swallowed, wondering what else she had changed about her behavior to be ‘like the rest’.

She dropped down from her chair and rounded the counter. Steve watched her, his heart racing in his chest as Ice stepped to him. Her close proximity made him nervous. He was seconds away from asking what was wrong when the words died in his throat as Ice leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, causing his entire system to shut down, this mind zeroing on the on the small kiss, trying to memories every small thing about it.

She never touched them.

She hardly smiled at them.

He felt the gentleness behind the kiss and his eyes prickled with emotion-evoked tears. He watched with a dazed expression as Ice slipped by him and headed for Bucky. Blue-grey eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up when their daughter pressed up on her toes to press a gentle kiss on his stubble cheek.

The entire touch froze Bucky in place.

Grey eyes locked with Blue. Their wonder at the act, the love that erupted within them, they felt and shared, both of them understanding the significance of this moment.

“Good night.” Ice whispered to them.

Steve and Bucky turned and watched her walk away. Her small frame vanished behind the door, the glow of her blonde hair being the last to be seen. Steve stared at the door, hearing the faint click after she locked it.

He couldn’t move, even when all of him wanted to rush over there and wrap Ice up in a hug.

Steve jumped when he felt a body brush up against his and he sunk back against the solid chest. Two arms, strong and grounding wrapped around him and Steve reached up to grip onto them, one arm hot at the touch and the other cool.

“She’s amazing.” Bucky whispered into his ear.

Steve blinked, feeling something wet slide down his cheeks. He didn’t bother trying to wipe it away even when two more joined the downpour. Bucky tightened his hold on Steve and brushed his lips against Steve’s hairline, pressing a comforting kiss to his skin.

“We’ll take care of her, Steve.”

Steve nodded, but the dizzying cocktail of fear, love, wonder and anxiety didn’t fade.

“She’ll be okay. They won’t get her.” Bucky continued to say, and in the back of his mind, he knew Bucky was speaking both to himself and Steve.

“They won’t touch her.” Steve forced out.

“You damn right.”

*

The next day, chaos in the form of paralyzing fear struck the room.

“How did this happen, Tony! You said this place was secure!”

“I don’t know! I’m working on it! She must have done something.” Tony was frantic.

Steve was clutching his hair, pacing back and forth, his mind and body conflicting on what to do. He knew he needed to remain calm, to be patient as they find out more information but he also knew he needed to leave this fucking tower and go search for her.

“Steve.” He heard behind him.

Steve turned, blazing eyes locked on Natasha and Wanda. His eyes dropped to the piece of paper in Wanda’s hand.

Bucky stormed over and snatched it out her offering hand, chest silently heaving as he frantically read it.

Steve joined him a beat later, just as Bucky let loose a low, helpless ‘ _fuck_ ’.

His eyes traced the words, his ears conjuring up Ice’s voice as he read:

**I like the name Sara**

He turned to Tony.

“Find her. Now.”

“On it.”


	3. Call Me A Sinner, Call Me A Saint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had been working on this shortly after the last update and finally, I was able to finish it. I wanted to explore more of Ice/Sara and how Bucky and Steve may have dealt with her leaving, may have related to her.

_I finally put it all_ _together_

_That nothing really lasts forever_

_I had to made a choice that was not mine_

_I had to say good bye for the last time_

_I've said it so many times_

_I would change my ways,_

_no, never mind_

_God knows I've tried_

_Call me a sinner_

_Call me a saint_

_Tell me it's over_

_I'll still love you the same_

_Call me your favorite_

_Call me the worse_

_Tell me it's over_

_I don't want you to hurt_

_Its all that I can say_

_So, I'll be on my way..._

_(Shinedown - Call Me)_

They were at a loss.

An hour had passed since Steve had ordered Tony to find Ic—Sara, and still. _Nothing._

Clint had left to see if he could find out something helpful, and when asked for more information he and Natasha had assured Bucky it was best he didn’t ask questions. As someone who worked for the underground world, who did jobs that would have peopling puking their guts out, Bucky understand the gift of ignorance.

He was helping Bruce dig around SHIELD surveillance when he heard a crashing sound behind them.

Hands stopped working and all turned, eyes on the contained storm that was Steve Rogers. His hands were gripping the short strands of his hair almost painfully, his muscles bulging from tension. Before him laid the shattered fragments of their lamp, the broken porcelain scattered on the floor.

Dark, annoyed eyes found his and Bucky nodded. He pushed away from the surveillance screen, his boots closing the distance between himself and a pacing Steve.

Bucky shifted and cut off his path.

Burning blue eyes glared at him.

“Let’s go.” His metal hand closed around the thick bicep and Bucky felt the way it trembled under his touch, seconds away from ripping out of the hold. He tightened his grip. “Steve, now.”

The command in his tone seemed to trigger Steve. His panicked expression stiffened, his jaw locked and clenched and his eyes hardened. Bucky gave a gentle tug, and Steve followed without much of a fight. They walked past Tony and Bruce, the former not even bothering to hide the fact that he was watching.

They made their way out the lab, took the stairs to the common room and Bucky headed for the kitchen. Methodically, he poured Steve a glass of water and shoved it into his hand.

“Drink."

Steve brought the cup to his lips and gulped it down. The water rippled in a trembling hand, but Bucky forced himself not to react, waiting until Steve finished the glass. Then, he took the glass from Steve’s hand and placed it the kitchen counter. Turning back, Bucky took in Steve.

He’d been so focused on helping Bruce and Tony where he could. He had been so lost on the mission and what to do that his mind had shut away anything that wasn’t related to Sara’s disappearance.

_Sara…_

Gingerly, Bucky stepped closer, keeping a small space between himself and Steve. He took the blond man’s hands in his, metal hand curling around flesh. He looked up a little, ducking his head a bit to get those blue eyes to meet his and when they did, he cursed himself for being so fucking distant.

Pooled in building tears, broken eyes locked with his. A blink broke the seal and tears tumbled down. Bucky didn’t say anything, he did what he knew Steve needed in that very moment. He dropped one hand, lifted it cup to the back of Steve’s head, tugging on the other hand and soon Steve fell into the embrace. In a bone crushing grip, arms wrapped around him, pressing him tightly against Steve. Bucky vehemently returned the hold, clutching onto Steve. He didn’t cry, though he wanted to.

Steve barely made a noise but the tears that hit his neck burned. He felt the pain in them. They were a visible echo of his, silent screams cutting through him.

“Hey.” He said, drawing back. He let go of Steve, framing his face in his hands, forcing Steve to look at him. “We will find her, ya’ hear me?”

“We don’t know where she is.”

“Then we will tear this fucking world up. But we will find her.”

A steel resolve settled on Steve, hardened his once broken expression. Bucky saw the way a part of Steve faded, as Captain America took his place. He felt it in the flexed jaw that jumped against his palm. An iciness seeped into his blood, freezing his emotions when he met a stern gaze.

“Let’s go.” Steve said, his voice rough and deep from withheld emotions.

Bucky pulled away, his hands trailing after him. The hardness in those blue eyes shifted a bit and he got a peak of Steve.

And only then did Bucky step away completely.

*

“Steve.” Bucky called. “I found something.”

A good distance away, there was an image of girl that looked to be in her early twenties. Dressed in all black, save for her red scarf, they all watched as she paid for a ticket.

Tony froze the screen. A few clicking noise later, and the image zoomed in and cleared.

“The Vatican?” Natasha read.

Steve and Bucky turned just as Bruce asked the obvious question. “Didn’t you say your intel originated from there?”

Green eyes looked at Bucky, her silence louder than any spoken word.

“Shit.” Bucky cursed. “She’s going after them.” He voiced.

“Who?”

Steve answered Tony’s questions in a grave tone. “She’s gonna completely our mission.”

*

They all entered an empty, desolated house. The walls were crusted with peeling paint, the roof stained with mold. The place was empty and undisturbed.

Save for a dead body.

A man, age thirty, sat with his hands tied to his chair, clothes matted and darkened with sweat stains, head tipped back, eyes wide open with a single bullet to the head, center point.

“Steve.” Was all Bucky could really manage to get Steve’s attention.

He felt Steve’s step up behind him, his towering form casting a shadow over the body. Bucky wanted to look over, see Steve’s expression at the sight before him but for a sick, twisted reason, Bucky couldn’t look away. The eerie clean room haunted him, as if nothing sinister had happened. The only indication was the dead body.

“She did this?” Steve asked, his voice barely detectable to the human ear and had Bucky not been standing right there, he likely wouldn’t have heard it.

“He would have died either way.” Natasha’s husky voice into his ear. “He was playing both sides. Trust me, he is not man you should shed a tear for.”

Regardless, that still didn’t make _this_ okay.

He saw Hydra here. It scared him, to know that this was what Sara was capable of, but then he remembered that Hydra never did things halfway. When they took from you, they took everything.

“Let’s head out.” Bucky voiced, turning around with his rifle in hand. He heard Steve’s heavy footsteps follow a moment later.

They entered the Quinjet, silently. Clint closed the hatch and took off without a word having to be said. They were airborne in a matter of minutes, the destination clear. Bucky _felt_ , more than heard, Natasha approaching them, and when the Widow lowered herself on the on the other side of the jet, her green eyes stern but comforting, Bucky clenched his jaw.

“Steve—”

“Not now, Nat.” Steve cut her off, his voice low.

“Yes, now.” She said, her tone making it clear she was going to say her piece and they were going to listen to her, whether they liked it or not. “You can’t judge her too harshly for this. She was born by Hydra and raised to be a relentless, merciless assassin. It’s most likely all she knows. You of all people know that when you have a mission, no matter the objective, your main priority is to complete it.”

“I know that.”

She swallowed, her eyes expressing her regret at having to voice this. “You can’t judge her too harshly.” She said again. There was hint of plea in her words, but a lingering threat echoed through.

Accept her, or else…

“I’m not.” Steve answered, the truth making Bucky’s blood run cold. It’s been years since he had heard that defeated tone. The kind of defeated that broken down all of Steve’s righteous wall, that blurred the events, making it impossible to look at it the way ‘Steven Rogers’ would. It was the same tone he’d had when he’d burst into Bucky’s home one day, shotgun loaded and tone cold as he told Bucky’s father that he would shoot him in the head if he didn’t let go of a beaten up and half-unconscious Bucky.

Bucky looked over to the man seated beside him, saw the blankness in his expression. He saw the hesitation in Natasha’s eyes. She hid it well, but not too well.

After a moment of grim silence, Natasha sat up straight and looked at Steve’s. “So, what’s the plan, Cap?”

“We got a team member that’s gone rogue. We bring her in and contain the damage.”

Bucky clenched his jaw, saying nothing.

*

They arrived at a broken down, destitute facility. Tony dropped down the second they exited the jet, the plates of his Iron Man suit lifting to reveal a worried face.

“All those who may have been guarding the building have been taken care of.”

Falcon was standing by Steve, offering his best friend the comfort and support that Bucky just couldn’t be right now. He had to remain focused on the mission, and he knew, if he allowed some emotions that wasn’t imperative, the perfect balance of James Barnes and the Winter Soldier would be shifted, and he feared which side would win over.

“And I’m pretty sure she knows we are here.” Tony continued. “Then, let’s go say hi.” Clint offered, shaking his bow, causing it to collapse.

Steve clipped on his shield, and like red, white and blue beacon, he led them into the facility, with Bucky sticking close to his right, his metal fingers curling and uncurling around his rifle, his nerves causing his blood to race, his mind conjuring up flashes of Ic-- _Sara_ to keep him centered.

“Should we split up?”

They all turned to their Captain, who turned and met their gazes steel eyed.

Bucky shook his head and Steve said, “no.”

They rounded and made a left, only to falter in their steps at what laid ahead of them.

“Or we could follow the trail of bodies?” Tony offered in a forced light tone.

Bucky appreciated Stark’s tendency to lighten an often dire situation. It help keep his head above dark water. But now, nothing could lighten the sight before him. Like a runway for an incoming landing, dozens of bodies littered the ground. The walls were painted with blood platters. He saw the chaos in the hallway, saw the brutality in her fight to come out the other end.

“Yeah, she’s definitely your kid.”

“Enough, Tony.”

There was a beep in his ear and Bruce’s controlled voice said, “Heat signature says there is a single body further down. If you guys go South West, and continue that path, you should find her there. It looks like she’s in some sub-basement. From the blueprints, it’s a safe guess to say it’s some sort of lab.”

“Of course it is.” Clint grumbled.

Bucky touched Steve’s shoulder and Steve followed the cue. With the Avengers on their six, they all headed in the direct pointed to by Bruce. Natasha and Sam split off a good 20 minutes in, going into another controlled room, that could possibly have information in it.

They ran into some trouble, in the form of one surviving Hydra agent, who had attempted to blow a live grenade, but with a kick to the hand from Bucky, the grenade was out his hand and under Steve’s shield where the blast was absorbed. Tony did a quick scan, discovered the guy was chipped and with a little help from Bucky, they extracted the chip from his arm.

Bucky killed him with a single shot to the head.

They made their way further into the building, discovering more of Sara’s work.

She was efficient and deadly.

That much was clear.

It felt like hours before they finally reached the basement. The metal door was opened, the retina-scan glowing green. And with a snapped neck, laid the body of the guy who’d granted her access.

Bucky lifted his gun, exchanged a glance with Steve and together they stepped over the threshold, entering a dark, gloomy lab. It was ancient and archaic at best, but the computers were new.

And there, right in the center, like a white halo, was his daughter.

Her hunched over form was illuminated by the ghostly glow of the computer screen. Her tapping fingers paused and she looked over her shoulder.

“You shouldn’t have come. I had it under control.”

Her voice was so calm and collected. It conflicted with the blood that stained her white uniform, the same one she had been brought in with. Her small frame looked so vulnerable, yet invisible all the same. Like a diamond. Clear and strong, twisted by its environment, and upon close examination, its invulnerability became clear.

“You shouldn’t have come in the first place, kid.” Tony spoke up. “Now, come on. Time to come home.”

She glared at him for a beat. “I don’t need your protection.”

Steve stepped forward then, as did Bucky and her attention snapped over to them. The hard gaze flickered, a crack in her armor.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through?” Steve asked her, his tone was hard, firm, but it held the undercurrent of fear and worry, soften only by relief. “Do you even care?” He finished, voice dropping.

She clenched her jaw. “I had to do this. You gave me no choice.”

Bucky’s felt his mental equilibrium shift, the Winter Solider stepping aside to allow Bucky Barnes control. He let go of his riffle, moving it so it was resting against his back. He moved fluidly, allowing Sara’s eyes to meet his, looking deep into those crystal pools that seemed blue one moment and silver the next.

He saw the shift in her body, the subtle way her foot slipped back a bit, her body angling to the side, ready for anything.

“What did you find out?”

The question shocked her. The moment the words left his mouth, her eyes widened, eyebrows jumping in time. She turned and Bucky followed her eyes, seeing what he’d been expecting to see all along.

A small device was plugged into the hard drive box. It looked like Stark-Tech, the blue flickering ever so often and on the large screen millions of files were being downloaded in rapid speed.

“This everything?” He pointed.

She shook her head. “There is another device—“

“I got it.” They heard Tony clomp around, Bucky turning to see the Engineer heading toward another computer.

A presence came to stand beside him, turning slightly like always so he was facing Bucky. It was a comforting and trusting act.

Sara’s silver-blue eyes danced to the right and lifted, cooling as they fell on Steve. Bucky looked between them, each of them matching in their clenched jaw and stubborn stare. It ignited a flash of amusement within him.

Sara was the first on to break the short tense silence that fell between them. “I won’t apologize for going out on my own.” She lifted her chin. “But I am sorry for worrying you. Both of you.”

Bucky’s lips curled, a small smile forming. Steve inhaled, his large chest expanding. Any other time, Bucky would be mocking him for his dramatics but he saw the control Steve was fighting to maintain, to remain professional, to be both Captain America and a father.

“Promise you won’t leave like that again?”

Silver-blue eyes narrowed. “Or what?”

“Jesus Christ, Sara.” Steve exhaled and Bucky watched in wonder Sara’s icy resolve melted at the sound of her name, or chosen name, being spoken by Steve. The harshness behind her gaze vanished, the stern, stubborn set of her jaw relaxed and her defensive stance faded, making her appear so small and vulnerable before them.

He saw the 17 year old girl behind the blood stained white jump suit.

“Sara…” She sounded out, her voice thicker, her tongue rolling, testing out the name.

Bucky glanced at Steve and watched as Steve’s professionalism went to hell. His lips curled further, his smile growing when Sara nodded to herself, puckering her lips up as if she was impressed by her choice in name.

The moment, however, was shattered by a mocking voice.

“Well this is just beautiful.” They all turned, watching as Tony made a show of wiping his eyes. “Really heart-warming stuff. Watching you three makes me all tingly inside.”

Bucky rolled his eyes.

There was a beat in his ears. “Are you three done? Sam says it’s time to leave.”

“All done, Double Agent.”

“Bite me, Stark.” Natasha replied smoothly.

“Now, that’s more your thing, Widow. Although I have dabbled in the biting—“

A noticeable click cut him off, leaving Tony gaping at nothing. He touched his ear again, but nothing.

Bucky rolled his eyes, meeting Steve’s.

Together, they turned, facing Sara who stood before them, arms now crossed, eyebrow lifted, clearly waiting.

“What now?” She asked, her tone reverting back to a cool, calm and collection timbre.

“Now.” Steve answered, “Now, we go home. Get cleaned up and maybe get something to eat.”

Tony’s voice echoed through, “I could order Shawarma’s.”

“Oh! Please!” Clint called out in their ears.

Sara spoke. “And what will happen after?”

Bucky cocked his head to the side, mentally shaking his head when he recognized the stubborn tone. But he understood her questioning, her hesitation.

Insubordination was never rewarded with love, accepting and kindness in Hydra.

“Nothing, sweetheart.” He answered honestly. “Nothing is gonna happen to you.”

“We won’t let it.” Steve added, firm and confident.

Her disbelieving eyes danced to and fro, searching for any signs of deception. She pressed her lips together, and Bucky could feel the struggle to hold back, to not give in, to step away from the open arms. He’d been like that at first, seeing Steve’s smiles as manipulations, his words as lies, his touch as deceiving. He didn’t trust himself enough to trust Steve.

He woke up every day and checked his bags which were packed and hidden, at the ready for when it would all fall apart.

But it never did.

“Okay.” Sara spoke the words, but her eyes screamed the truth.

Steve nodded, smiling.

Bucky simply stared at her.

They turned together, opening up a path for Sara to walk through which she did, taking the flash with her. She barely looked at them as she walked past them both, Bucky and Steve turning to flank her.

His riffle was back in his hands and Bucky watched as his daughter pull out two metal rods which hung from her sides and with a flick they elongated into staffs. Tony was up front, smoothly navigating down the halls.

Not long, Clint hopped down from a vent, grinning at them. “They got some stuff up there rigged to explode. I took care of it.” He looked to Sara. “You okay, kid?” His eyed her blooded uniform.

“I’m fine.”

“Hmm.” He nodded, accepting the answer for it was.

Natasha and Sam were waiting for them outside. Sara acknowledged them with a cool look and a composed nod. She entered the jet last, waiting until all of them were stationed before she took her seat, far away from them all, and closest to the doors.

Bucky wanted to go over there. Simply be there for her. An ache panged in his heart as he looked at her. Her blonde hair obstructed his vision of her face, her Bo-Staff rested on her lap, her hands curled around it.

A hand touched his, moving. Bucky turned his palm and allowed Steve to intertwine their hands. His bare fingers felt cool against his metal fingers. Stark had done some modification, allowing him to feel and experience temperature better than he used to. It had help rebuilt his fragile humanity, because Hydra never cared much for those human things, temperature and touch and how important it was to him.

No one spoke. Not even Stark, who seemed lost in the data they had collected. Natasha and Clint were up front, and Sam was skimming through some reports. He would hear about it all when they had their debriefing, so Bucky just allowed himself to focus on Sara.

All the way back to the Tower, she never once looked up.

*

Fury was understandably pissed off when they entered the debriefing room.

Everyone took their seats, including Sara. She sat down without a word, Bucky taking her right and Steve her left. Natasha took the other side with Sam a seat away, closer to Stark who was out of the Iron Man suit and in his under clothes, a simple long sleeve black top and comfy sweats. Clint made for the orange slices and mixed berries, taking two bowels toward the table. He had two orange wedges shoved in his mouth, giving chipmunk cheeks.

Hill was the only who bothered smiling at Sara.

“Explain yourselves.” Nick stood at the head, hands behind his back, long black coat giving him his usual menacing look.

“We completed the mission. As ordered.” Tony quipped.

Fury deadpanned. “And the newly discovered genetic experiment that no one was supposed to know about tagging along was in the plan?” He looked at Hill. “Did I misspeak in the last meeting?”

She didn’t bother responding.

Steve spoke up, clearing his throat. “Sir, we didn’t plan on bringing Sara along. We thought she would be of use, given her history -" 

“Cut the bullshit, Rogers. We both know she left the facility without authorization and went on her own little spree. And it took you all two days to find her.”

“But she got the intel.” Natasha intoned.

“Yeah, and it’s good.” Tony spoke up, eyes still fixed on his tablet. “Like rolling in money on a bed naked good.”

Sam gave him a look and Clint perked up.

“What’s that like?” Clint asked.

Tony opened his mouth but Bucky spoke over him, because he so did not want that mental image burned into his memory. “We didn’t make that much of a mess, Fury. We handled it. What’s the problem?”

“The problem, Barnes, is that if you two can’t keep a 17 year old girl in check, then what the hell makes me trust that you guys can do the work the worlds requires of you?”

Natasha opened her mouth, Clint looked ready to stand up, Sam frowned incredulously, Bucky and Steve was glaring and Tony actually looked up from his screen, all of them ready to jump up when a cool voice spoke over them all.

“I don’t need to be contained, sir.”

All eyes turned to Sara who met Fury’s gaze, unblinking.

She continued. “I can leave whenever I like. You can keep me here, lock me up, but sooner or later I will escape. I am here, because, Steve and Bucky are here. I chose to be here and if I am not wanted, I can leave.”

Bucky cut in then. “Fuck, no.” He glared at Nick. “You people touch a hair on her head and I will burn this place down with all you in it.”

“Bucky.” Steve said his name in a warning tone, the professionalism back. But then, Steve turned to Nick and said. “I think he meant to say was that _we_ would destroy SHIELD. I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again.”

“And by ‘we’, he meant _us_.” Tony lifted a hand, and did a small circle with his finger.

Natasha turned and looked at Fury, remaining silent but Bucky saw the certainty in her eyes, the promise to do just that. She’d come a long way, her life has a double agent who played sides few knew even existed had affected her perception on the world and though it took Bucky a long time to even begin to consider trusting her, he knew now that if anything were to happen to Sara, he could trust Natasha to have their backs.

Nick exhaled, doing a sweep of them all before they settled on Sara. “We ain’t gonna touch you, kid.” His casual nature bled through and Bucky appreciated it. It allowed Sara to see Fury as a man who actually cared about the people who worked for him, and not as the man who ran an undercover black-ops government agency.

“But we can’t let you just run free, doing whatever the hell you want.” He continued, his tone hardening and Bucky saw the way Sara sat up a bit straighter, eyes fixed on Fury. “You wanna go on missions, you wanna do the work that your fathers are doing then you become an Avenger. You’re useful, but I won’t let you use my resources for your own personal agenda.”

Sara swallowed as forcing her words back. She flexed her jaw and nodded. “I understand, sir.”

Something dug into him at the monotone. He hated it, but he kept his emotions hidden.

“Good. Now, let’s go over what you found.”

*

Six hours later, Bucky, Steve and Sara arrived on their floor. Sara walked ahead of them, stopping only when Steve called out her name.

She turned, waiting.

“When you’re done, can we—Can we talk to you?”

She looked between the, silver-blue eyes searching. “Yes.” And with that, she walked to her room, opening and closing the door without a glance back.

The moment the door closed, a weight leaned into Bucky’s side and Bucky curled his arm around Steve’s waist, holding him up. He felt Steve shutter, a harsh sigh quaking through his body. He felt the shackles that held Steve Rogers back in order for Captain America to take the reins fall off.

“Fuck.” Steve cursed under his breathe. “Fuck, Buck.” He turned in the half embrace, wrapping himself around Bucky. A wet face buried itself in his neck, and Bucky, with his metal hand cupping the back of Steve’s head, squeezed him tighter, holding him as close as humanly possible.

“I know. I know.” He said into Steve’s hear.

A shiver ran down the blonde’s body. The emotional turmoil he had been forced to hold back now surfacing, crashing through his walls, enforcing its soul sucking presence. Bucky stroked the nape of Steve’s neck, muttering, “C’mon, let’s get cleaned up, okay.”

Steve nodded and after two deep breathes, he pulled away, taking Bucky’s hand in his before leading them to the bathroom. They worked together in silence, undressing the other with delicate fingers. Bucky allowed his wall to shift, allowing Steve in for a moment.

Steve gathered his hair into a bun, blunt fingernails lightly scratching against Bucky’s sculp. While Bucky picked up their dirty uniform, dumping it the basket, Steve turned on the shower, standing outside with his hand under the spray. Steam filled the room and Steve followed a step after Bucky, stepping under the spray first.

Bucky remembered his first experience sharing a shower with Steve. He’s barely lasted 30 seconds before he was stumbling out to bend over the toilet to dry heave. Since then they’d only taken baths, while slowly trying to alter Bucky’s associations with showers, more specifically, having water raining down on him in an endless harsh shower.

They didn’t speak, seamlessly rotating around the shower, turning when they needed their back washed, rinsing off while the other finished off.

Before Bucky knew they were walking out the shower into their bedroom with towels wrapped around their waist. They changed into sweats, Bucky wearing a under vest and Steve slipping on a much looser shirt than his usual attire.

They walked out the bedroom, their bare feet padding soundlessly as they headed for the couch.

As if she had been waiting for them to take a seat, Sara emerged from her room, dressed in a thin pair of white pants, and a way too large band shirt. Bucky saw the name “AC/DC” and immediately knew it had to have been a gift from Tony.

“Hey.” Steve smiled at her.

Bucky did the same, his eyes tracking her movements. Her ice-blue eyes were sharp, and his heart ached when he saw the steel behind them; the way her lips were pressed together in a stern pout, jaw clenched.

She was preparing for the worst.

Regardless of all the reassurance from Bucky, Steve and the team, she was waiting for them to prove to her that she had been right all along.

He understood. No matter the memories of his past life with Steve, no matter the words and constant reassurance, Bucky still found himself waiting… anticipating.

“You want anything to drink?” Steve asked.

Sara shook her head and sat down on the couch without prompt, her body angled toward them, knees pressed together, her hands folded on her lap. She stared at them, eyes and expression impenetrable.

Bucky swallowed, eyes glancing to the right to meet Steve’s gaze. They shared a look, and with a nod, Steve nodded and looked away.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, hands laced and eyes kind. “Sara… What happened today, it can’t happened again.”

Sara stared at him.

Steve paused before continuing. “You left without telling us anything, you left and it took two days before we were able to find you. I know you’ve been alone for most of your life, that you have had to fend for yourself, that growing up, you had a mission and you were taught that the mission was the only thing that mattered. Bucky and I understood that more than you know.”

Bucky nodded when Sara’s eyes flashed to him. Her jaw flexed but she remained still.

“But that’s simply not true anymore, kid. You have us, now. People who care about you. People who were worried sick when they found out you left.”

Her eyes dropped; the first sign of remorse clear. Bucky shifted forward, and Steve fell back.

“Hey,” He gently encouraged, his lips curling when Sara met his stare. “I know you’re hearing this and not believing a word. I know you want to so badly, but everything in you is telling you not to.” His words died when ice eyes gleamed with building tears, with a thick swallow Bucky forced them out, knowing they needed to be voiced and she _needed_ to hear them. “Steve and I are always going to be here for you. No matter how dark or ugly things turn, nothing and I mean _nothing_ , past or present, is gonna come between us.”

Sara tipped her chin her, and Bucky could see her struggling to keep her emotions hidden. “Yeah? And what about what I had done? You saw the carnage, what are your thoughts on that?”

“We’ve done worse.” Bucky stated point blank. “You know my history. You know what Hydra made me do.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“You had no choice.” She glared at him, her words exclaimed in a deadly tone, daring him to compare their situation, wanting him to do it just so she could prove him wrong. Bucky had done the same thing. “I have always had a choice in the matter, and I chose to leave. I chose to kill those men and I have no regrets.”

Bucky looked away, eyes cutting over to see a broken expression on Steve’s face.

“See.” Sara’s cold voice draw their attention back to her. “You can barely stand the sight of me.”

A body moved in the corner of his eyes. Sara’s shoulder tensed; eyes sharp as she watched Steve close the distance between them. Steve dropped down on the coffee table, reaching without hesitation. His large hands enveloped hers, curling around them as if to protect them.

Sara down at their hands before her eyes ascended.

Steve stared at her. “You are not a monster. You aren’t a bad person. Often times, the world asks for more than normal people can give and that’s why people like us exist. Sometimes you need to conquer pain with pain. As a soldier, we are meant to follow orders and trust that those orders are for a good cause. We aren’t meant to question them, we aren’t meant to disobey. And that is what you have been doing for most of your life. Truth is subject, and that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Your world is different than ours, and you were raised to view it in a certain way, and there is nothing wrong with that. You did what you were trained to do. And we don’t hold that against you, we would _never_ hold it against you.”

A single tear broke free.

Steve shifted closer. “Like Bucky said, we are always going to be here for you. We are always going to love you. _You_. Not the girl you think you have be. But the girl you are now, the girl you were, and the woman who you will become.”

Sara stared at Steve and when those icy eyes fell on him, Bucky lifted himself up and claimed his place beside Steve. Steve lifted his hand and Bucky reached over, curling his metal hand around Sara’s, meeting her eyes with a sure, steady gaze.

“You…” She started to say but cut off.

Bucky and Steve waited for her to continue, but she pressed her lips tighter together and they knew she wasn’t going to continue.

They may have cracked the wall that was build around her mind and heart, but the wall remained strong and stable. She was a strong woman and Bucky knew it might take years before she trusted them enough to let them completely.

But it’s like Steve said, they would be there for her come whatever.

Sara sniffed and with a blink and thick swallow, Bucky knew the moment was over. She shifted away and Steve and Bucky leaned back, giving her, her space. Her silver eyes cleared, and something within him ached at the sight.

“Thank you.” Her collected eyes danced between them. “For coming after me.”

Bucky gritted his teeth and gave a gentle smile.

Steve’s deep voice answered. “Always.”

She nodded and then stood up. “I’m going to bed.”

Bucky felt Steve tense up beside him as he nodded. “Goodnight, kid.”

He watched her turn her back to them, her spine straight, her steps measured. Everything in him wanted to go after her, to hold her and comfort her, but he knew she didn’t want that. She entered her room, her form vanishing as she closed the door with a soft click.

A shoulder pressed against and a second later, Bucky felt Steve’s entire weight resting against his. He pressed back, and felt Steve bear his weight in return.

Neither of them said anything.

There was nothing to say.

They weighted until they were sure she was asleep, asking Friday for confirmation before they themselves went to bed. Steve rolled onto his side and Bucky moved like a magnet, curling around his back, fitting his legs behind him. He wrapped his arm around Steve’s form, holding him as close as possible.

They didn’t sleep that night, their minds abuzz with fear driven thoughts.

The only comfort they found was in each other and the knowledge that their daughter was safe in her room.

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings:
> 
> Mention of Rape but it is implied. The character is not raped.  
> The fic deals with explicit violence.


End file.
